1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a terminal pair for use in electrical connection in an automobile or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a general practice to detach connectors used in automobiles or the like from each other every several months or every several years for maintenance and checkup. It is high likely that arc discharge may occur at a detachment of terminals of the connectors from each other. Particularly, it is conceivable that a considerably large amount of arc is discharged in view of the recent development of technology in which a high source voltage is supplied for a battery of an automobile. Therefore, it is highly likely that the terminals may be damaged due to occurrence of such large arc discharge.
Generally, a male terminal has a bar-like or a plate-like shape with a lead end thereof tapered in order to facilitate its insertion into a female terminal. Every time the male terminal is disengaged from and engaged with the female terminal, arc discharge occurs. The repeated engagement and disengagement causes to melt the tapered lead end of the male terminal due to repeated arc discharges. The melted part of the male terminal is cooled to solidify, accompanied by shifting of the melted part slightly toward a base end thereof. As a result of the melting, the tapered lead end of the male terminal disappears, which accompanies increase of a diameter of the lead end of the male terminal. In other words, the male terminal is likely to be deformed due to melting by repeated arc discharges, which may result in contact failure with the female terminal or, in a worse case, difficulty or inability of its insertion into the female terminal.